Grieving Family Finds Peace At Burning Man [Video]

Black Rock City is a very, very special place. Every August, over 70,000 people gather in the Nevada desert for Burning Man, transforming the desolate landscape into one of the world’s greatest spectacles. It’s all been happening since the 80’s, and spending time on the Playa has transformed countless lives. More recently, however, the festival (if you can call it that) has been drawing more and more first timers with the allure of escape, of expressive freedom, and of belonging. It’s hard to capture the essence of what goes on at Burning Man, and there have been many attempts, but now we finally have a video that portrays just how much one can be affected by a Burn. BELIEF Burning Man chronicles one family’s struggle with grief, and offers an intimate look at their journey towards healing through the wonders of Burning Man.

Narrated by Oprah, the documentary follows Howard Fallon and his daughter, Shane. Five years ago, Howard lost his wife, Julie, to cancer. In that same year, his youngest daughter, Kendra, was killed in a plane crash in Nepal. “You think when death happens everybody’s going to come together? No, some families disintegrate,” says Howard. As a last attempt to overcome their immense grief, Shane and Howard decided to venture to the Playa and take part in the Temple ceremony at Burning Man. The video below shares their story.